A30243:771
Spiritual refining
Spiritual refining: or A treatise of grace and assurance Wherein are handled, the doctrine of assurance. The use of signs in self-examination. How true graces may be distinguished from counterfeit. Several true signs of grace, and many false ones. The nature of grace under divers Scripture notions or titles, as regeneration, the new-creature, the heart of flesh, vocation, sanctification, &c. Many chief questions (occasionally) controverted between the orthodox and the Arminians. As also many cases of conscience. Tending to comfort and confirm saints. Undeceive and convert sinners. Being CXX sermons preached and now published by Anthony Burgess sometime fellow of Emanuel College in Cambridge, and now pastor of the church of Sutton-Coldfield in Warwickshire.Spiritual refining: or A treatise of grace and assurance Wherein are handled, the doctrine of assurance. The use of signs in self-examination. How true graces may be distinguished from counterfeit. Several true signs of grace, and many false ones. The nature of grace under divers Scripture notions or titles, as regeneration, the new-creature, the heart of flesh, vocation, sanctification, &c. Many chief questions (occasionally) controverted between the orthodox and the Arminians. As also many cases of conscience. Tending to comfort and confirm saints. Undeceive and convert sinners. Being CXX sermons preached and now published by Anthony Burgess sometime fellow of Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and now pastor of the church of Sutton-Coldfield in Warwickshire.
London: printed by A. Miller for Thomas Underhill, 1652
Title page typeset from the transcription.
A TREATISE OF GRACE and ASSURANCE; Being CXX. SERMONS. › Section 3 › Sermon 28
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Secondly, If thy righteousness come not thus, then it may be from the sole power of natural conscience and humane strength: for although it be true that 1by the strength of nature we are not able to do any thing supernaturally good, but there must be antecedent to such an action spiritual illumination of the mind, and a powerful alteration of the heart: yet those things that are good in a civill, or political sense, and so, good for the matter, may be done by the natural dictates of conscience, such implantations are made in man, that he believeth There is a God, That parents are to be honoured and succoured in necessity. Now according to that natural light we have about God and a conscience persuading to it, there may also be a natural prosecution of the same good; But all this is wholly within the sphere of nature, not above it. Art thou then a man doing all the works of moral righteousness? Consider from what stock this groweth, from what fountain this streameth, Doth it arise from any other principle, but merely that of a natural conscience? and if so, this cannot be a plaster to any soar, or a balm to any wound. As good Saints as these grow of themselves in the heathenish parts of the world.
Secondly, If thy righteousnesse come not thus, then it may be from the sole power of naturall conscience and humane strength: for although it be true that 1by the strength of nature we are not able to do any thing supernaturally good, but there must be antecedent to such an action spirituall illumination of the minde, and a powerfull alteration of the heart: yet those things that are good in a civill, or politicall sense, and so, good for the matter, may be done by the naturall dictates of conscience, such implantations are made in man, that he beleeveth There is a God, That parents are to be honoured and succoured in necessity. Now according to that natural light we have about God and a conscience perswading to it, there may also be a natural prosecution of the same good; But all this is wholly within the sphere of nature, not above it. Art thou then a man doing all the works of moral righteousnesse? Consider from what stock this groweth, from what fountain this streameth, Doth it arise from any other principle, but meerly that of a naturall conscience? and if so, this cannot be a plaister to any soar, or a balm to any wound. As good Saints as these grow of themselves in the heathenish parts of the world.